Fit To Be Tied!

[elliemay1]

Sitting in a restaurant today opposite 2 parents and a toddler. The toddler lifted the pepper pot and proceeded to shake pepper all over the table and floor. Both adults looked at her and laughed. She kept on doing it and they laughed all the more. The father then started to wipe the pepper on to the floor. Next she lifted the salt cellar and started to shake it vigorously but luckily no salt came out. Meanwhile, as the waitress was taking their order, the man was still busy still cleaning the pepper on to the floor. It made my blood boil. I kept staring disapprovingly at them but to no avail. It really spoiled my day out! Would you have said anything?

[Mamyalynne]

Probably yes.

[mazie]

No, not really. I would have ignored it and enjoyed my meal. As my Grandad would have said "making a rod for their own backs". They are going to have to live with the childs behaviour as it grows up.

[ladybirder]

And so has everyone else!

I'd have said something.

[Buenchico]

>>> They are going to have to live with the childs behaviour as it grows up

So, unfortunately are others. I've taught (or tried to teach) kids who've clearly never had any boundaries enforced by their parents. Their presence in a classroom can disrupt other children's education and drive teachers up the wall. However as soon as any teacher dares to criticise such 'a little darling', their parents always blame it on a 'clash of personalities'.

[elliemay1]

I just couldn't believe that they both thought that this was funny. I have often seen chn leaving a messy table and parents not even attempting to tidy it up, but I have never before seen such bad behaviour being tolerated and encouraged.

[mazie]

That's a classroom Chris. I don't think you can approach parents sitting at a table and tell them to stop their child from shaking a pepper pot. Well I wouldn't. I am presuming they were not sitting at the same table as elliemay. If they were, then that's different

[mazie]

Unfortunately Ellie, you can't tell people how to bring their kids up...I know it's tempting at times. x

[elliemay1]

No, they weren't at the same table as me. I just couldn't believe the total disregard they had for whoever had to clean up the mess, never mind the waste. I would love to have said something but was too afraid!

[Mamyalynne]

I've never launched into parents, I usually go via the child (from a distance)using some fun.

If the adults take it badly then I've failed, it does happen.

[ladybirder]

That's what I would have done Mamya. Usually works, especially if you try and add a bit of humour even though you may not feel like it.

[gness]

Oh it's so difficult, Ellie....if you say anything you just know it's going to make your day worse......parents rarely react calmly to what they see as interference....

If you take your child to a restaurant you should be teaching them how to behave in a restaurant.......not pandering to their bad behaviour......x

[Cloverjo]

I've seen it so many times. I work in a place that lots of children come into, they bang on glass and their parents do nothing. I say 'Don't bang on the glass. It might break and you'll get hurt.'

The parents do nothing or say something like 'He's only 9, don't tell him off'. !?

In a restaurant a child was running around and then climbing up the back of my chair. ...I asked the parent to stop him, he said 'kids, eh? What can you do?' OH said 'Stop him being a pain in the ar.e. ' He didn't.

[elliemay1]

The toddler had no idea what she was doing was wrong. The parents seemed to be encouraging her. Why couldn't they have given her a toy to play with instead?

[New Judge]

"Unfortunately Ellie, you can't tell people how to bring their kids up."

Maybe not. But the management of these places should tell their customers about the standards of behaviour they expect in their establishments. This is where things have fallen apart. Customers should be able to expect reasonably civilised surroundings when they are out spending their hard earned. Managers in the hospitality trade seem to have abrogated their responsibilities in this respect.

[goodgoalie]

Can't imagine this happening with, say, French or Italian families - it's in their culture to behave en famille

[elliemay1]

If I had been working there I definitely wouldn't have tolerated it. The waitress was young and I suppose she just decided to ignore it.

[gness]

I'm quite fortunate in having a very serious face and, by lowering my glasses and glowering, I can scare the daylights out of a child with my assembly stare......Tilly can do that too, I know......
But it is a shame that children aren't taught how to behave for the situation they are in.......x

[tonyav]

Ahhhggggg the assembly stare.

I'd have most probably said something to daddy.

[gness]

I guess Tony was victim of the assembly stare more than once!.... :-)

[elliemay1]

She was a toddler and never looked up so I couldn't glare at her. She seemed to be captivated by the pepper streaming out of the pot. I was glowering at the parents but they never noticed me as they couldn't take their eyes off their little darling who was having so much fun!